History

Detroit Lions Gridiron Heroes

Doug English

DL

Texas

Years with the Lions: 1975-79, '81-85

Pro Bowls: 4 (1979, '82-84)

Seasons: 10

Height: 6-5

Weight: 255

Photo courtesy of the Detroit Lions

DT Doug English provided the interior push on the Lions famed “Silver Rush” that hunted down opposing quarterbacks in the late 1970s and early 1980s. English played 10 seasons (1975-79, ’81-85) with the Lions, after being selected by the club in the second round (38th overall) of the 1975 NFL Draft. During his career, English made four Pro Bowls (1979, 1982-84), and he was Associated Press First Team All-NFL in 1982 and A.P Second Team in 1981 and 1983.

In 1979, after recording 122 tackles (90 solo) and 6.5 sacks, English was voted as the team’s Defensive MVP. English ranks sixth on the Lions all-time sacks list with 59.0, and is considered the franchise’s leader in quarterback sacks among interior defensive linemen. He racked up a career high 13.0 sacks in 1983, which ranks sixth all-time on the team’s single-season sacks list, as he helped the Lions claim the 1983 NFC Central Division title.

In 1978, he recorded 7 sacks that contributed to the ’78 defense establishing the team’s second-highest single-season team sacks tally of 55 (statistic first kept in 1962). English holds the Lions record for career safeties (4) and is tied with Hall of Fame LB Ted Hendricks for the most career safeties in NFL history. English is one of 14 players in NFL history to record a league record two safeties in a season when he accomplished that feat in 1983. In 1981, English took a season off for a stint in the oil business. The Lions originally selected English in the second round of the 1975 NFL Draft out of Texas.